Migration Report I- 2015

[John Barrow]

After what has been a slow, and often painful, beginning to migration, there have been significant changes along the Texas coast since the passage of the last frontal system. Large arrivals were reported late Sunday and Monday, along the mid to upper Texas coast. Steve Kroenke described his arrivals today at inland LA
We in Corpus Christi, like so many others, have had relatively few arrivals to date compared to other years. We have fought to keep our martins alive with supplemental feeding and trying to discourage a relentless Cooper's Hawk that has attacked our colony for several days, picking off a few martins too stressed to fly.
While our weather today has been overcast with fog and not ideal for finding what few insects are in the air, it did warm up and martins had a relatively good day for feeding. For the first time in days they arrived home tonight in high spirits, noisy and showing lots of energy.
Observing the martins in the early, late afternoon, it appeared by the numbers that we had only lost a couple to the Cooper's hawk. As some of the local martins approached our systems to settle in, the sky filled with martins. We counted about three dozen martins that have migrated on to the coast. All were ASY birds, probably older birds.
This is a significant general arrival that will supplement those who have lost martins in the past few weeks to horrible weather conditions. This arrival will reactivate the scout arrival page. There is another strong cold front coming in late this week, but in the South, it will be relatively short lived compared to the last few weeks.
This general arrival is typical of migration in mid to late February. No doubt it is a couple of weeks late. In my opinion this means two things. 1) There was only a percentage of older birds here to struggle through the deadly weather, and 2) We will see increased arrivals before and after the passage of the front and the massive arrivals of younger martins (3 yoa class) will not be far behind.
If we have good weather in the weeks ahead martins will pour into the country at an accelerated rate, as migration catches back up.
I hope that folks that have lost martins in this bad weather--particularly those who struggled to feed them and care for them--will be blessed with a huge number of replacements and new growth. I hope that the horrible weather to the north will subside before they arrive.
Best wishes to all landlords.

[pmartinlover2]

Finally some good news. Thanks, John.

[apundt-TX]

Thanks for the report John. I am getting fired up for arrivals here so hopefully with the next week or so mine will return.

[Stephen Cruse]

Thanks for the report!

[Steve Kroenke]

John, thanks for sharing this important information with us. You and Louise have a "first view" of martin arrivals as they cross the Gulf and land on the Texas coast. So your migration updates help tell folks that martins are on the way and should be arriving soon at their colonies.

When our martins were stressed, I even saw an opportunist red-tailed hawk patrolling near our colonies and even perching in trees nearby. He was probably looking for downed martins on the ground. When martins no longer can fly fast, they are easy prey for Accipiter hawks in particular.

Fortunately martins have a staggered migration pattern during the winter/early spring. So if a weather disaster strikes, the early martins may be adversely impacted and lost, but later arrivals can replace those losses.

I always enjoy your detailed migration reports and letting folks know that more martins are coming!

Steve

[Craig Haddox]

John, thank's for the migration report. Always appreciate it. Usually around the middle of March when I start seeing martins here in East Central Missouri. Good luck with the martins this year.

[KathyF]

John,
This is great news! I have been somewhat relieved that the influx of martins has been delayed, due to the awful weather experienced in the south. It was starting to reach the point that, I was thinking, maybe we should mobilize a bunch of northern landlords and disperse to the southern colonies with our flipping spoons!
Hopefully, the extended bad weather is over and everyone will get martins at their sites where many were lost. It was very strange to see all the reports yesterday of the fog that was moving through. We were very socked in here and couldn't see more than 40 ft. out our front door. I heard of the fog all the way north to Ohio, over to Alabama and over to Corpus now. Sounded kind of creepy!
I am stocked now with crickets again - hoping I don't have to use them. The martins could use a break!
Thanks for the report...always fun to read it.

[trisha]

John, I always love reading your reports. I am hopeful that our bad weather will end and I can enjoy my birds again. I have tried so hard to keep them alive by doing everything possible. I lost 2 and hope the little lady that is left can hang in there a few more days.

[Chris B]

The winds are favorable for the second wave.

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wi ... 25.73,1342

[taxidermy lady]

John,
With all the cold weather in the south this spring, will this affect the arrival dates in the north? Thanks and good luck this season!

[John Barrow]

Hi Sharon,
Assuming the bad weather stabilizes there will be little effect on northern birds. I made a post in late January, statistically showing what little effect pre-Feb migration has on states along the Gulf coast. Because southern birds arrive earlier, nest earlier and in most cases return to South America earlier; they also molt and return earlier the next year.
The light infusion of matins I wrote about in Jan along the coast is just now arriving into the center of the continent. Initially, that trend will remain relatively insignificant, and will advance to the north and west.
Likewise, as the season progresses the size of arrival numbers into USA will magnify and accelerate arrivals (and reports) throughout the continent . These large arrivals, that I call and have reported as *General Arrivals* are arrivals of large numbers of martins that impact most of the Gulf coast. Those arrivals spread northward at about 100-300 miles a day-depending on weather and tailing winds; bringing first arrivals to many and supplementing those who have martins. General arrivals will increase in number as the season advances. The current arrival I have reported will have little impact above mid-continent, but will greatly affect southern states where martins have been lost in the past few weeks.
This first general arrival is about two weeks later than normal which is a blessing given the weather they have encountered.
If weather stabilizes we will see a more rapid progression of general arrivals than normal and overall migration will catch up with where it should be.
Geolocator studies show a trend of martins normally migrating north from Brazil within a month. I would say that the majority of Sothern martins have not left Brazil yet or have just started north. Only a handful of Northern martins, if any, have started north, but the oldest and bravest will start the journey within days and some will arrive at the end of March.
Because of the shorter Northern nesting season, their migration will be greatly accelerated.
I apologize for such a lengthy reply, bur I wanted to post a few observations about migration in general. Thank you for your interest and best wishes this season.

[taxidermy lady]

Ok thanks, I want to put my poles up March 15. That's when they are expected in southern il. Last yr. a large flock came in on March 10th and 11th in my area. If it gets warmer after this cold spell we may have some arrive in our area. Thanks again!!

[Stephen Cruse]

I also had a large number come back today. Had about 15 new birds settle in and happy to report that I have some birds already settling in to the housing that Tony Frederickson's contributed to my site this year!

[TONY FREDERICKSON - TEXAS]

That's wonderful news Stephen. Keep it up. You're the right person to carry on!! The Martins are lucky to have you. You and Shelby are a great team
You made everything so easy for me.

JB-- great work as usual

Best, Tony

[Matt F.]

JB-- great work as usual

I concur Tony.
John's migration reports are great!